Time for 1 percent to pony up

As a resident of Maryland, I am outraged by the recent "doomsday budget" and the real possibility of more cuts in vital services like law enforcement, education, libraries, reduction of personnel, etc. I find it unacceptable when I hear or read about major corporations complaining that they are being overtaxed and threaten to move their operations overseas. Some of these companies exploit loopholes in the tax laws to leave billions in unpaid taxes for the 99 percent of us to shoulder the burden.

According to a study by the Citizens for Tax Justice, over the past four years from 2008 to 2011, big corporations have enjoyed billions of dollars in tax subsidies and profits. We cannot continue to give tax subsidies to billionaires while seniors live on less, while we ignore dilapidated infrastructure and close down schools.

As the deficit continues to grow and unemployment remains high, it's time for corporations and members of the 1 percent to step up and do their fair share — by paying what they owe. Our members of Congress should support the Buffett Rule which stops millionaires from paying lower tax rates than working people. They should also work to close any tax loopholes that let corporations pay lower taxes.